Void(71)

I remembered him reading my diary, all the dirty loneliness that followed me everywhere I went. I was inexperienced, yeah, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to add it to his arsenal of reasons to bully me. So instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed, I laughed. “I know how to come, vamp,” I said before taking my hands and running them down my body. His eyes flickered away from my face to follow the heated trail my fingers left. “I’m not afraid to get myself off. I guess the better question is, do you know what you’re doing? ‘Cause I’m still standing here unsatisfied.” His beautiful eyes flared with challenge.

He didn’t even give me a second to gather myself. Within an instant, he was yanking down my shirt, exposing the tops of my breasts and the plump skin there. He sank his teeth into my cleavage making me cry out with delicious pricks of pain, smearing blood along my skin before pushing his hand back between my thighs. And then his fingers started...flashing. Vibrating with pointed speed against my clit. Yanking his mouth away from my breasts, he gleamed at my parted lips and rasping breath.

“I know you hate flashing, but it’s not all bad, huh?” he teased, while stroking me even faster. It was better than my rabbit vibrator hidden under my mattress at Mrs. Coxcomb’s School for Troubled Girls.

“Nope,” I agreed on a hiss as he stroked me. “This flashing is freaking awesome,” I panted. I had no idea he could do this. His fingers moved so quickly that I came embarrassingly fast. My orgasm tore through me, ripping up my spine and down between my thighs. As I arched my back, he sunk his teeth into me when he saw me start to come down, making it last even longer.

He pulled his mouth back first, after licking all the blood covering my breasts. Then he removed his hand with a satisfied smirk. “How was that?”

I could barely breathe. Couldn’t even think. I wasn’t about to tell Render, but that was probably the best orgasm I’d ever had. I decided my mouth couldn’t be trusted, so I kept it shut. His orgasms were like truth serum, and I didn’t want to say something embarrassing. The asshole had a big enough head as it was.

“Why?” I asked instead. It was something I’d been asking a lot lately.

Render’s face softened for a moment then grew hard. “Don’t read into it. I just didn’t want you spending the rest of your life thinking vamps were only good for hurting. It’s bad for my people if the Void has a prejudice based on the ignorance of few.”

Anger flared up within me but then died on my exhale. That...was not what I’d wanted to hear. “Oh. Well...thanks for the demonstration,” I replied with a small smile. My nonchalance must have caught Render off-guard, because his mouth dropped open in shock.

“Go back to the cabin,” he ordered before nodding back toward my bike.

“Yes, sir,” I replied while rolling my eyes. I’d gotten the risk out of my soul and an orgasm out of my body. I guess things could be worse. Slipping away from him, I buttoned my pants then headed toward Betty. “Do me a favor though, will you?” I asked while straddling my bike.

“What?” he asked.

“Be sure to pass Gritt’s room so he can smell me on you. It’ll drive the bastard crazy,” I said with a wink.

He looked down at the ground and laughed before flashing away. Once I was sure he was gone, I let the cool disappointment sink into me before driving the rest of the way to the feral cabin.

But when I got there, someone was already waiting for me.

Banner was stretched out on the wooden porch, leaning against the dilapidated bannister. I parked my bike, kicking out the stand, and pulled off my helmet before walking over to him. He stood up to face me, and I regarded him curiously. Every time we’d been around each other lately, all he’d done was rush through lessons. We hadn’t connected at all since that first day, and I wasn’t sure why.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

He shrugged, his pale skin catching in the moonlight. “Wanted to make sure you were okay. I heard about the vampires.”

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

We stood awkwardly in front of each other, two feet of space between us that felt both too close and too far away. He regarded me with his dark eyes, and I wished so badly that I could figure out what he was thinking.

“You fed?”

I nodded slowly. “Gritt took off my necklace after the attack. I fed from him.”

Banner’s eyes raised in surprise. “You fed from him? Without me present?”

“I know, it was dangerous. I told him he shouldn’t have.”

“No, he shouldn’t.”

“It was okay, though,” I said, feeling suddenly excited to tell him about the control I’d had. “It was muscle memory or something. Like my Void knew not to hurt him. Gritt was pretty cocky about it,” I said with a chuckle.

Instead of looking impressed or proud like I expected, Banner’s frown only deepened. “You can’t trust them, Devicka.”

My humor fled my face. “What?”

“The paragons, the headmaster. You can’t trust them. Maybe they’re tricking you into a false sense of security, pretending to like you, but don’t fall for it.”

His words were like a slap to the face. My father had told me not to trust anyone either, but this was different. “Do you know something I should?” I asked carefully.